Electric motors are increasingly being used in all types of vehicles, particularly but not exclusively in land vehicles.
One of the main drawbacks of the use of electric motors is the need for batteries which, in general, are large and heavy.
In land vehicles with three or more wheels, this problem is not as important since the weight can be distributed in different ways without greatly affecting the stability, and there is sufficient space to house the batteries. Currently, however, electric motors are infrequently used in two-wheel vehicles as the weight and location of the batteries, as well as the position of the rotation shaft of the electric motor hinder their use.
Another problem faced by two-wheel vehicles is the swinging of the rear wheel suspension, which complicates the transmission and generates tensions and overloads in the transmission chains.
Spanish utility model ES1076136U relates to a swinging gearbox for an electric motorcycle. However, said swinging gearbox requires the rotation shaft of the electric motor to be parallel to the rotation shaft of the swingarm of the motorcycle's suspension, that is, parallel to the rotation axis of the rear wheel. Therefore, the motor weight distribution is necessarily uneven on the two sides of the vehicle, potentially affecting the stability of the same.
On another hand, the lateral connection to the various shafts through gearwheels, pulleys and transmissions requires significant space, which limits the space available for the batteries.
European patent EP2236338 describes a hybrid vehicle wherein the electric motor incorporated in the same is arranged such that its rotation shaft is transverse to the vehicle body in its direction of motion, with the above-described load problems.
European patent EP2168861 relates to an electric motorcycle wherein the motor is anchored to a swinging element. In this case the motor rotation shaft is also transverse to the vehicle body.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,284 refers to a electrical bicycle in which the motor is located beside the vehicle and its rotation shaft is connected to the shaft of the driven wheel in one of the ends of that shaft. Because of the motor is hung beside of the vehicle, the center of gravity is affected and the vehicle is unstable.
With regard to gearboxes there is an extensive body of patent documents, none of which appears to include the main elements of the gearbox of the present invention.